Astragals



Jan. 9, 1968 H. R. JONES 3,362,108

ASTRAGALS Filed Sept. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 9, 1968 JONES3,362,108

ASTRAGALS Filed Sept. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Awa /w.

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United States Patent 3,362,108 ASTRAGALS Herbert R. Jones, Cincinnati,Ohio, assignor to The Michaels Art Bronze Company, Erlanger, Ky., acorporation of Kentucky Filed Sept. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 487,470 5 Claims.(Cl. 49478) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An astragal to weather proofdoors having a channel extending from top to bottom and a continuous barresiding within the channel. Means are associated with the channel topermit limited movement only of the bar in directions in and out of thechannel. A continuous strip of magnetic rubber is carried by the bar atthe outer side thereof. A series of non-continuous, comparatively shortmagnetic rubber strips is carried at the inner side of the bar. Amatching series of non-continuous magnetic rubber strips is mountedwithin the base of the channel. The magnetic rubber of which the stripsare made is of the same magnetic strength. The total lengths of thecomparatively short strips of the series carried at the inner side ofthe bar, plus the total lengths of the matching series of strips Withinthe base of the channel are substantially less than the total length ofthe continuous strip carried by the bar at the outer side thereof.

This invention relates to astragals that are used to weatherproof large,heavy doors of the type found in commercial or public buildings. Morespecifically, the

invention is directed to an astragal construction in which strips ofmagnetic rubber are used to effect a seal.

An astragal usually is adjustable to provide for expansion andcontraction of the door of other structural members associated therewithsuch that, upon closing of the door, the astragal creates a sealrelationship between the door and the frame or, in the case of doubledoors, between the two doors.

Astragals may be used in many difierent ways. They may be placed on theframe of the door and the door closed against them. They may be mountedon the door and brought into contact with the frame upon the closing ofthe door. In a double swinging door installation, two such astragals maybe used, one on the edge of each door where they join, so that theastragals contact each other when the doors are closed.

A typical adjustable astragal of the prior art has consisted of anastragal bar that is slidably engaged within a channel member. Means areprovided to permit the bar to shift in and out, within limits, of thechannel member to form a seal relationship with the door frame oropposing door when the door is closed. As heretofore known, these meansincluded some form of spring members. The function of the spring membershas been to urge, at all times, the bar toward its outer limit ofmovement relative to the channel member. Thus, when the bar is broughtinto contact with another surface, e.g., the frame upon closure of thedoor, the bar is depressed into the channel. The spring members,however, tend to force the bar outwardly and, thus a seal relationshipis maintained between the bar and the other surface.

Additionally, the prior art has provided the side of the astragal barthat protrudes from the channel with means, e.g., fabric, rubber or pilebuffer strips, such that when the astragal bar strikes the frame oropposing door on closing, the noise level of such closing is kept at aminimum. Of course, such buffer strips also enhance the sealrelationship of the door with the frame or opposing door.

However, there are deficiencies in the construction of the prior artastragals that become apparent upon extended use. A spring member systemis a source of trouble in the doors in which it is used. The continuousjarring of the door cause the spring members to shift position withinthe astragal, thus causing them to lose their ability to maintain atight seal relationship with the frame or opposing door. Additionally,the astragal bar tends to forcefully strike the frame or opposing doorupon closure of the door because of its continuously extended position,thus causing undue noise and undue door vibration, as Well as helping tocause the first problem mentioned. Also, when buffer strips, e.g.,fabric, rubber or pile, are used on the astragal bar, the continuousstriking of the bar tends to unduly wear these strips.

Therefore, the primary objective of this invention has been to provide asimplified astragal construction that has none of the above objectionsand deficiencies.

It has been a further objective of this invention to provide an astragalhaving a means for moving the astragal bar into a seal relationship witha door frame or opposing door that eliminates the need for springmembers in the astragal.

It has been another objective of this invention to provide an astragalwherein the astragal bar magnetically attracted is from the channelmember of the astragal, rather than being pushed from the channelmember, to efI'ect a seal relationship with a door frame or opposingdoor.

It has been an additional object of this invention to provide anastragal wherein the astragal bar remains substantially in the retractedposition, except when in juxtaposition with a door frame or opposingdoor, thus allowing substantial closure of the door to which theastragal is attached without the astragal bar striking the door frame oropposing door.

In the fulfillment of the above objectives, there is provided anastragal for a door that comprises a chan nel, a bar and strips ofmagnetic rubber. The channel extends from the top to the bottom of thedoor. The bar, that is the same length as the channel, resides withinthe channel in slip fit relation. Means are provided to permit limitedretracting and extending movement only of the bar in directions towardand away from the base of the channel. The outer side of the bar carriesa continuous strip of magnetic rubber. The inner side of the bar carriesa series of comparatively short strips of magnetic rubber. A matchingseries of comparatively short strips of magnetic rubber is mounted onthe base of the channel. The magnetic rubber of all strips is of thesame magnetic strength and the total lengths of the strips of bothseries is substantially less than the total length of the continuousstrip. Thus, with no force tending to extend the continuous strip andthe bar upon which it is mounted, the series of strips retract the bar.Further, the retracting force of the series of strips may be overcome toextend the continuous strip when the continuous strip is brought intoclose proximity with external magnetically responsive means such as asimilar continuous strip or a magnetically responsive door frame.

Other objectives and features of the invention will be readily apparentto those skilled in the art from the following detailed description ofthe drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view depicting the astragals of thisinvention in use on a pair of closed double doors.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 ofFIGURE 1 showing the astragal bars in extended position.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view, substantially the same as FIGURE 2,showing the astragal bars in the retracted positions they assume whenone of the double doors is open.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 ofFIGURE 2 and particularly showing the construction of the astragal barsadjacent their upper and lower ends.

FIGURE 5 is a cut away view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 5.

As is shown in FIGURE 1, one of the ways in which the astragals of thisinvention may be used is with double doors, there being an astragal 1%)on the leading edge of each door 11. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, the astragal 10 comprises a channel 12 having parallel sidesand a base, and an astragal bar 13 that is H-shaped in cross section.The astragal bar 13 is of a size such that slidable engagement withinthe channel 12 is possible.

The astragal bar 13 is limited in its outward movement from the channel12 by means of U-shaped brackets 14 and stops 15 at the top 27 andbottom 28 thereof (see FIGURE 4). The brackets 14 are fixedly engagedwith the channel 12 by means of screws 16. The stops 15 are fixedlyengaged with the inner portion of the astragal bar 13 by means ofspacers 17 and screws 18. The function of the spacers 17 is to allow adesired distance through which the astragal bar 13 may move in an outrelative to the channel 12.

The channel 12 has integrally attached thereto a flange 19 which iscoplanar with one side thereof. By means of the flange 19 and screws 26,the astragal 19 is fixedly held in operable position on the door 11.

For attracting and retracting the astragal bar 13 from and into thechannel 12 there are provided strips of magnetic rubber 21, 22, and 23in the leading edge 24 of the astragal bar 13, the rear portion 25 ofthe astragal bar 13, and the base portion 26 of the channel 12respectively. The term magnetic rubber, as used herein, refers, by wayof example only, to a type of material disclosed in US. Pat. No.2,999,275 to W. S. Blume Jr. and entitled ,Mechanical Orientation ofMagnetically Anisotropic Particles. The types of material disclosed inthe aforementioned patent include a composite of rubber havingintimately associated therewith particles susceptible to magnetization,hence, the term magnetic rubber.

The strip 21 of magnetic rubber present in the leading portion 24 of theastragal bar is sized such that it intimately fits therein and is heldby any conventional adhesive. The strip 21 is substantially continuousfrom the top 27 of the astragal bar 13 to the base 28 thereof.

The strips 22, 23 of magnetic rubber provided in the rear portion 25 ofthe astragal bar 13 and the base portion 26 of the channel 12, if of thesame magnetic strength as the strip 21, are interspersed along theportions 25, 26 in a noncontinuous manner. Otherwise expressed, theprimary magnetic means, or strip 21, comprises a continuous length ofmagnetic rubber whereas the secondary magnetic means or strips 22, 23comprises a series of spaced magnetic rubber strips, the total lengthsof the series of the spaced strips being substantially less thanone-half the length of the continuous strip. FIGURE 1 of the drawingsshows this relationship. Thus, since the magnetic rubber from which therespective strips are made is, as stated, of the same magnetic strength,it follows that each continuous strip 21 is equivalent in magnetic forceto at least greater than one half the sum of the magnetic forcegenerated by strips 22, 23. Of course, a strip 22 in the trailingportion 25 of the astragal bar i- 13 must have a strip 23 in the base 26of the channel 12 in a substantially similar geometric position forcooperation during retraction of the astragal bar 13 into the channel12.

When the doors 11 are in a closed position, as is shown in FIGURE 2, thestrips 21 on the opposing astragal bars 13 are attracted one to theother due to the magnetic forces present in each of the strips. Thisattraction takes place because the sum of the attractive forces of themagnetic strips 21 is sutficient to overcome the sum of the attractiveforces of the magnetic strips 22 and 23 for each other. Thus, a sealrelationship between astragals 10 is formed, upon closure of the doors,by attracting the astragal bars 13 from their retracted position.

When the doors 11 are opened, as is shown in FIGURE 3, the attractiveforces generated by the strips 22 and 23 for each other overcome theattraction of one strip 21 for the other. Thus, the astragal bars 13 areretracted or withdrawn into the channels 12 until the doors 11 arebrought into juxtaposition once again.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.From FIGURE 6 it can be seen that, when viewed in cross section, theleading portion 24 of the astragal bar 13 is dovetailed in shape. Thus,the strip 21 of magnetic rubber may be held thereto by means of slots 29in the strip 21 cooperating with the edges 30 of the dovetailed leadingportion 24 of the astragal bar 13.

Having described my invention, what I desire to claim and protect byLetters Patent is:

1. An astragal comprising:

a channel member,

an astragal bar slideably engageable with said channel member, secondarymagnetic means for attracting said astragal bar into a fixedrelationship with said channel,

primary magnetic means for attracting said astragal bar out of saidfixed relationship with said channel,

said primary magnetic means comprising a continuous strip of magneticrubber and said secondary magnetic means comprising a series of spacedmagnetic rubber strips, the total lengths of the series of said spacedstrips being substantially less than one-half the length of saidcontinuous strip, and

mechanical means to limit the outward movement of said astragal bar uponattraction of said bar by said primary magnetic means.

2. An astragal comprising,

a channel member having spaced parallel side walls and a base,

first means for producing magnetic forces fixedly engaged within saidchannel member,

an astragal bar which is generally shaped as an H- beam in cross sectionand slideably engageable within said channel member,

second means for producing magnetic forces fixedly engaged within afirst channel of said astragal bar, said second means being enclosed bysaid channel member when said bar is slideably engaged within saidchannel member,

third means for producing magnetic forces fixedly engaged within asecond channel of said astragal bar, said bar, said third means beingequivalent in magnetic force to at least greater than one-half the sumof the magnetic force generated by said first means fixedly engagedwithin said channel member plus said second means fixedly engaged withinsaid first channel of said bar, and

means to limit the outward movement of said astragal bar upon movementof said bar away from said channel member.

3. An astragal as set forth in claim 2 in which said means for producingmagnetic forces comprises strips of magnetic rubber.

4. An astragal as set forth in claim 3 in which said strips of magneticrubber are generally rectangular in cross section.

5. An astragal as set forth in claim 3 in which said second channel insaid astragal bar is substantially dovetailed in shape, and

said strip of magnetic rubber for said second channel being of a lengthsubstantially equivalent to the length of said bar and with grooves inthe sides thereof such that said strip may be slideably engaged with andfixedly held by said dovetailed channel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Knight 49478 X Korodi 49478Kesling 49-478 X Alderfer 49-478 Lewis et al 49-478 DAVID J.WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. PHILLIP C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No3,362,108

January 9, 1968 Herbert R. Jones Column 4, line 63, strike out "saidbar,"

Signed and sealed this 25th day of March 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

